Propeller and rotating propeller control mechanism for marine propulsion



July 10, 1962 Filed Jan. 27, 1959 R. G. LE TOURNEAU PROPELLER ANDROTATING PROPELLER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MARINE PROPULSION 2 Sheets$heet1 July 10, 1962 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 3,043,374

PROPELLER AND ROTATING PROPELLER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MARINE PROPULSION2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1959 MOTOR CONTROLLER i g/06 TO AC.SOURCE INVENTOR. firem ie7mrmaw eff/m ney United States My inventionrelates to propeller and propeller control mechanism for marinepropulsion systems, and particularly to variable pitch type propellersand control mechanism for same.

For many types of marine vessels, a propulsion system incorporating oneor more propellers of the full variable pitch type has a number ofdefinite advantages. Among these are: the vessel drive can be quicklyreversed without the requirement for either reversing the prime mover orproviding expensive and cumbersome reverse gearing apparatus; thedriving power can be smoothly and continuously varied over the fulldriving power range; the prime mover can be run at constant speed; themost effective combination of driving power, prime mover power, andvessel speed for various cruising or maneuvering conditions can bereadily selected. In spite of these general advantages, the' specificstructures and arrangements of variable pitch propeller systems andcontrols therefor in the prior art of which I am aware have not provento be entirely satisfactory.

Accordingly, it is the general object of my invention to provideimproved structure and arrangement for full variable pitch propellersystems and controls therefor,

. for use in marine propulsion systems.

Another object of my invention is to provide structure,

arrangement and control for full variable pitch propeller systems whichshall have improved simplicity, reliability, and effectiveness.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparentfrom the following description taken in accordance with the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a single full variablepitch propeller structure and arrangement, partly in section,illustrating the principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical longitudinal section view of a portion ofthe apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic transverse section view taken at lines 33 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical section view of the propeller drive gearbox and associated parts;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view, partially in section,showing the propeller pitch control drive apparatus; and,

FIG. 6 is a schematic circuit diagram illustrating the electric controlarrangement for the pitch control drive apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the apparatus of myinvention includes a propeller drive tube 11, a propeller support spider13, propeller blades 15, a propeller support spider and drive tubehousing 17, a propeller hub housing 19, a propeller drive tube housingsupport web 21. The apparatus also includes a propeller drive gearreduction 23 and a propeller pitch control gear reduction 25.

The propeller support spider and drive tube housing 17 is made up of acylindrical portion 27 which merges at its rear end with an integralradially outwardly flared portion 29. The cylindrical portion 27terminates at its forward end in an opening in the vessel hull 31 at thestern portion of the vessel and is fixed thereto by welding. The supportweb 21 is a metal plate structure shaped so that it fits the contour ofthe intersection of a vertical plane 3,043,374 Patented July 10, 1%2

The rear end 33 of the web is contoured so as to allow ample clearancefor the propellers 15.

The propeller drive tube 11 extends from the propeller drive gearreduction 23 in the vessel interior, through and just beyond the rearend of the cylindrical portion 27 of the housing 17. The drive tube 11is journalled adjacent its rear end of the housing cylindrical portion27 by means of a suitable bearing 35. The spider 13 is in the shape ofan open-topped dome 37 having a base portion 39 in the form of a heavymetal ring. The spider 13 is axially aligned with the drive tube 11,with the end of the drive tube fitting into the open top of the dome 37and being welded thereto. The spider 13 is provided with a radialopening for each propeller blade 15. Each propeller blade has a stubshaft 41 Which is journalled in a respective spider opening by means ofa suitable bear ing 43.

Extending through the interior of the drive tube 11 is a propeller pitchcontrol shaft 45 which terminates at its outer end portion in a wormgear 47. The pitch control shaft 45 is journalled on the drive shaft 11adjacent the rear end of same by means of a suitable bearing 49. Thecontrol shaft worm gear 47 is disposed opposite the propeller stubshafts 41. Each propeller stub shaft 41 carries a pinion 51 at its endportion, which respective pinion engages the Worm gear 47.

Fixed to the peripheral portion of the rear end of the spider is thepropeller hub housing 19. The exterior surfaces of the hub housing 19,the spider base portion 39, and the outwardly flared portion 29 of thespider and drive tube housing 17 cooperate to form a smooth generallyegg-shaped surface, the contour of which tends to minimize waterturbulance and to aid in the attainment of smooth water flow over theparts. The propeller blades 15 have substantially flat operatingsurfaces with the exception of the conical bulges formed by the stubshaft roots. The propeller contour is generally that of a short ellipsewith one quarter flattened. The stub shaft is located approximately on aline perpendicular to the ellipse long axis passing through thegeneratrix which is remote from the flattened quarter. The flattenedquarter is always the outward and rearward portion of the blade.

The propeller drive gear reduction 23, as shown in simplified schematicform by FIG. 4 includes a gear box 53 mounted on a suitable base 55within the stern section of the vessel hull 31. The propeller drive tube11 extends through and beyond the gear box 53 for a purpose to behereinafter explained, and is journalled on the gear box side Walls bymeans of suitable bearings 57. A bull gear 59 is mounted on thepropeller drive tube 11 within the gear box 53 and is engaged by apinion 61 which is in turn mounted on a power input shaft 63 whichextends into the gear box 53 and is journalled on the side walls thereofby means of suitable bearings 65. The power input shaft 63 is drivenfrom a prime mover (not shown).

The propeller drive tube 11 as above-mentioned extends forward throughand beyond the drive gear reduction 25. The propeller pitch control gearreduction 25 includes a gear box 67 which is mounted on the end portionof the drive tube 11 for rotation therewith. The propeller pitch controlshaft 45 is journalled Within the drive shaft 11 adjacent the forwardend of same by means of a suitable bearing 71 and extends into the pitchcontrol gear box 67. A bull gear 73 is mounted on the end of the pitchcontrol shaft 45 and is engaged by a pinion 75 mounted on a countershaft77 which is journalled within the gear box 67 by means of suitablebearings 79. The countershaft input gear 81 is engaged by 85 have beenalready herein described.

mitter 87 having a bevel gear 89 mounted on its rotor and engaging abevel gear 91 mounted on a light shaft 93 which is journalled on thegear box by means of suitable bearings 95 and which also mounts a pinion97 engaged by the pitch control shaft bull gear 73.

Electrical connections are made to the pitch control motor 85 and theselsyn transmitter 87 through a group of slip rings 99, 101 which aremounted on a shaft 103 which is fixed to the frame of the motor 85 andextends forwardly thereof coaxial with the propeller drive tube 11. Thepitch control motor 85 is equipped with an electromagnetic frictionbrake 86 of a type which is released when the motor is energized andautomatically set when the motor is de-energized.

The electric circuits for the system are illustrated in simplifiedschematic form by FIG. 6. Locations of the selsyn transmitter 87 and thepitch control drive motor In the vessel Wheel house (not shown) there islocated a controller 105 for the said motor 85, and a selsyn receiver107 motor. The rotor of the selsyn receiver motor is coupled to anindicator device 109. The controller 105 may be or" a conventional typeand is connected in a conventional manner via suitable leads 110 andthrough the slip rings aforementioned 99, to the electric motor 85. Theselsyn receiver 107 is connected via suitable leads 111 and through theslip rings 101 to the selsyn transmitter 87. The selsyn receiver 107 isalso connected via leads 113 to a suitable power source. Power issupplied to the pitch control motor 85 via leads 106, from a suitablesource. 2

In operation of the system, the propeller pitch control gear reduction25 and the pitch control drive motor 85 rotate with the propeller drivetube 11. These components are of course dynamically balanced with thedrive tube. The selsyn system is set up in installation so that when thepropellers 15 are in the feathered position, the indicator 109 points toa neutral mark on its face. The indicator face may be calibrated indegree of pitch for forward vessel movement on one side of the neutralmark and degree of pitch for reverse vessel motion on the other side ofthe neutral mark. The motor controller 105 determines the direction ofrotation of the pitch control motor 85. The gearing ratio between thepitch control gear. reduction input and output shafts is madesufliciently high to achieve a close degree of control over thepropeller pitch. Also, the electromagnetic brake 86, acting through thegear reduction 25, holds the propeller blades in any selected pitchposition. Thus in operation it is only necessary for the operator toposition the motor controller 105 and at the same time observe theindicator 109. The propeller blades can be full feathered so as to exertno pushing force in either the forward or reverse direction, and theycan also be turned 90 degrees from the full feathered position so thatthey will produce no drag and have no tendency to drive when the vesselmoves through the water with no turning torque being applied to thepropeller shaft.

The disclosure and showings made in the drawings herein are merelyillustrative of the principles of my invention, and are not to beinterpreted in a limiting sense. Although I have shown my invention inonly one form it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it isnot so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modificationswithout department from the spirit thereof.

1 claim:

1. A propeller control mechanism for marine propulsion systemscomprising, a propeller having blades; a propeller drive gear reductionhaving an input shaft adapted for connection to a prime mover; apropeller drive tube having one end connected to drive said propellerand having the other end portion extending through said gear reduction;means within said gear reduction for driving said tube as an outputshaft; a propeller pitch control gear reduction fixed to said other endof said drive tube so as to rotate with said tube, said pitch controlgear reduction having an input and an output; a propeller pitch controlshaft extending through Said drive tube and geared at one end to saidpropeller blades so as to vary their pitch when said shaft is rotated,said control shaft being connected at its other end to the output ofsaid pitch control gear reduction; an electric motor having an outputshaft and having an electromagnetic friction brake of a type which isautomatically released when said motor is energized and set when saidmotor is de-energiz'ed, said electric motor being fixed to said pitchcontrol gear re duction with its output shaft connected to said controlgear reduction input; slip rings for conducting electric power to saidmotor, and means for controlling said motor.

2. A propeller control mechanism for marine propulsion systemscomprising, a propeller having blades; a propeller drive tube connectedto drive said propeller; a propeller pitch control gear reduction fixedto said drive tube so as to rotate with said tube, said pitch controlgear reduction having an input and an output; a propeller pitch controlshaft extending within said drive tube and linked at one end to saidpropeller blades so as to vary their pitch upon rotation of said sh-aft,said control shaft being connected at its other end to the output ofsaid pitch control gear reduction; an electric motor having anelectromagnetic friction brake of a type which is automatically releasedwhen said motor is energized and set when said motor is de-energized,said motor being mounted to rotate with said pitch control gearreduction and having an output shaft connected to said control gearreduction input; slip rings for conducting electric power to said motor,and means for controlling said motor.

References Cited in the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,446,658 Maynard Aug. 10, 1948 2,501,617 Roesch Mar. 21, 1950 2,520,204Hancock Aug. 29, 1950 2,575,357 Nichols Nov. 20, 1951 2,629,451 NicholsFeb. 24, 1953

